|
"Faith of the Free"
-- A forum dedicated to "free-thinking, openly questioning, radically-inclusive, ethically-engaged, reform-oriented religion in the Unitarian and Universalist tradition. --
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
uufreespirit
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 2190
|
 Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:56 am Post subject: Our Unitarian Universalist Mission... |
  |
|
,
| Quote: |
"Let no one say that it is difficult to know what Unitarianism is, or that it contains no areas of agreement. It is the most affirmative of all religions, the boldest in its claims, and the widest in its outreach and inclusiveness. Instead of a creed, it agrees to follow the living truth, and it sets its people free to do so. Instead of ritual pieties, it asks devotion to the deeds that make the world more righteous and its people more just. It separates itself from no company of believers, whether Christian or otherwise, except as they deny its claim for freedom. It asks no wide dominion for its institutions; only a liberty of access for its faith. It trusts that, in the years before us, Unitarian freedom will be claimed in all denominations, all communions; and meanwhile, it must humbly do its best to lead the way."
-- Rev. A. Powell Davies
(...from a 1946 sermon, "Unitarianism -- What is it?)
|
-- Does Unitarian Universalism have a mission? Do we UU's have anything special or even unique to offer...any "good news" that is worth emphasizing, nurturing and sharing with the world, with our own local townships and neighborhoods? Other religions can easily identify their reasons for being...what about us?
-- The "guiding premise" of this message board is that, yes we do indeed have our own "reason for being," and that it deserves to be articulated as clearly and concisely (and as often from our pulpits and websites) as possible. As the title here, "Faith of the Free," suggests, I believe it centers squarely around the concept of "freed religion." Some of the most successful and most highly regarded ministers in our liberal faith have described our mission as that of "institutionalizing religious freedom," and as short and sweet as that is I would even take it a step farther. I would suggest that freedom here needs to be seen in the context of religion...not vice versa. Freedom in religion needs to be seen as a means rather than an end in itself...as a way to bring about something constructive in a way that only a truly liberated mind, body and spirit can deliver, and something that can be best accomplished by free individuals coming together within a context of ultimate connectedness and unity of spirit (rather than uniformity of doctrine). That, we believe, is a sacred calling...an authentically religious mission.
-- So..that's why I'd prefer to say that our reason for being--our "mission"--is to study, defend, promote and institutionalize freed religion. And, to that, some of us might want to add "...and liberal-religious community." Another prominent UU minister has preached about why each of those three words is essential to our mission. He makes a good point, for the liberation and empowerment of the whole human being...mind, body and spirit...really is to be seen as a precondition, not as an end in itself.
-- Freed religion is a disciplined but not authoritarian kind of religion. Ours is a tradition that was born from a shifting of authority from external sources inwardly to the mind and heart of each individual. Each individual has both the authority (the freedom of conscience, soul-freedom, or free-agency) and an implied and corresponding responsibility to use it.
-- Freed religion understands the difference between liberty and license. Freed religion knows that nobody is free to believe "whatever he/she wants to" believe, but is instead free to believe whatever the best dictates of his/her informed conscience compel and dictate him/her to believe...based upon the disciplines of personal experience and observation, and of listening to and comparing our own experiences and observations with those of other seekers of truth and meaning, past and present.
-- A truly freed religion is a reasoning religion, for it empowers the open and critically-questing mind. It opens the gates to discovery, by freeing itself from the constraints of artificial dogma. To the open, questing mind, revelation is never sealed, but truth and light are constantly being revealed anew in each and every generation. As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, the "sun shines today also."
-- A freed religion is a humbled religion. It recognizes not only that "revelation" is incomplete and ongoing, and that therefore nobody has all the answers...a "monopoly on truth"...but that the human condition itself is one of inevitable and unavoidable fallibility (and improvability). A truly freed religion understands those limitations of its own ultimate perceptions and therefore refuses to "impose" them upon others who may have come to see things differently.
-- Freed religion is a "true colors" approach to religion. It asks its adherents to be as honest as possible, both in regard to what we "know" to be true, and admitting what is beyond our current knowledge. Ours is a form of religion where even honest doubts are welcome...and expected. While "perfect honesty" is not always impossible, still we strive for utmost authenticity and integrity in what we espouse to be most true and most good in religion, and utmost continuity between what we believe and how we live.
-- A freed religion is a "reasonably tolerant" religion. It understands that others have both an equal right and an equal responsibility to exercise their own sacred freedoms as unique individuals, in a civil and mutually-respectful manner. Each of us has a right to his/her own opinions and insights, although all remain subject to honest and respectful "critical questioning" of their factual foundations.
-- Freed religion is a social and community commitment. As "no man is an island entire unto himself," nor does any kind of liberty that's really worth having grow best in a vacuum. True liberation is best uncovered, secured and nurtured in an atmosphere of "creative and cooperative exchange"...in communion, communication and conversation with others.
-- Freedom's religion is a caring religion. Our legacy of "freedom of conscience" insists that most of us actually do have a sense of conscience, one that is capable of growing and being empowered in our lives and in how we treat, how we connect and relate with the people and world around us.
-- A freed religion is an ethical kind of religion. It is inspired more by "unities of spirit" than uniformity of the letter. It sees in human beings a brotherhood and sisterhood and seeks to better appreciate and promote those commonalities of virtue and civility and of mutual respect that ultimately transcend (without extinguishing) our personal differences...our sacred uniquenesses.
| Quote: |
"Freedom is the ground of all vital activity. Faith without freedom is dogma. Love without freedom is an illusion. Justice without freedom is oppression. In every instance, freedom is the factor that sustains and completes the other goal. It is the oxygen of the human spirit, the indispensable element for growth and wholeness."
--- Rev. David O. Rankin
"I think that one of our most important tasks as Unitarians is to convince ourselves and others that there is nothing to fear in difference; that difference, in fact, is one of the healthiest and most invigorating of human characteristics, without which life would become lifeless. Here lies the power of the liberal way—not in making the whole world Unitarian; but in helping ourselves and others to see some of the possibilities inherent in viewpoints other than one's own; in encouraging the free interchange of ideas; in welcoming fresh approaches to the problems of life; in urging the fullest, most vigorous use of critical self-examination. Thus we can learn to grow together, to unite in our common search for the truth beneath a better and a happier world"
-- Adlai Stevenson, Jr.
(...twice nominated for U. S. Presidency by Democratic Party)
|
-- So, these are a few of the attributes, it seems to me, of a religion finally and thoroughly "set free"...of religious community set free to (hopefully) be what it can be, and to do what it must do. And therein, I believe, lies our "mission"...our unique calling. Although the name is ultimately not important, the tradition that has come to be known as Unitarian Universalism is arguably the most thorough-going and explicit in its commitment to freed religion in all of its richness of tapestry and diversity. Again I would say that this is our special contribution to religion, our mission and reason for being -- to foster, promote and institutionalize a truly liberative approach to religion and religious community.
-- As always, I welcome your own thoughts on what I've said here.
_________________
-- Ron
"Beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I'll meet you there." -- Rumi
"The Reformation Must Continue!" --- Friedrich Schleiermacher
-->> Have you tried "UUPLINK UU RADIO" lately? You may be surprised! Go to... http://www.live365.com/stations/uuplink?site=uuplink"&"%20play
____________________ |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Log in
Blogs
